Medical Residency

Residency Program in Radiation Medicine

Description: The residency program in Radiation Medicine at the University Of Kentucky College Of Medicine is designed to provide a comprehensive clinical and didactic education for residents in the field of Radiation Oncology using the newest state-of-the-art equipment and clinic. House officers enter the University of Kentucky in their PGY-2 year through the NRMP match. Successful completion of PGY-1 year is required. The residents are required to rotate on the various services of Radiation Medicine during their residency training period. The length of each rotation is generally three months.

Goals and Objectives: The purpose of the residency training program is to train highly skilled radiation oncologists who are familiar with the most advanced techniques in clinical treatment and who understand the principles of cancer therapy. Through their clinical rotations residents will gain experience in the evaluation, diagnosis and management of cancer patients. Under staff supervision, residents will evaluate new patients and participate in the simulation and planning of patient treatment. Throughout the training program, residents gain experience in external beam irradiation using x-rays or electrons and interstitial or intracavitary brachytherapy using a variety of sources. Residents will gain first-hand knowledge of treatment outcome following patients through the course of treatment in follow-up clinics. Clinical training also includes morning chart rounds three times per week, resident teaching conferences, journal clubs and invited lectures. Residents are highly encouraged to use standard textbooks and computer-based education for self-education regarding the disease processes seen in radiation oncology.

Many tumor boards and multi disciplinary clinics provide clinical training that involve faculty both inside and outside the department. This experience with multidisciplinary patient management offers a template for interactions with colleagues in medical fields other than radiation oncology. Residents also rotate outside the department with required rotations in Pathology, Medical Oncology, Diagnostic Radiology and Pediatric Radiation Oncology, thus enhancing the resident’s knowledge and appreciation of other specialties in the field of oncology. The residents also interact with primary care physicians, language translators, social workers, rehabilitation specialist and hospice officials when caring for patients, thereby enhancing their interpersonal communication skills as well as their knowledge of systems-based practice. Once per week the attending and resident will meet with a CPT coding specialist to check charts to ensure proper billing.

In addition to the clinical skills obtained on the various Radiation Medicine rotations, residents attend didactic lectures in Radiation Physics and Radiation Biology each year. The Physics course is conducted in the spring and the Radiobiology in the fall. Residents are exposed to these courses on an annual basis to help emphasize and consolidate important concepts and information. Residents conduct a minimum of one clinical, radiation biology or radiation physics research project during the residency. This research is submitted for publication prior to completion of the residency program. Following conclusion of their residency training, residents emerge skilled to tackle clinical issues in modern radiation oncology, suitable for a career in clinical or academic departments.